Method for cutting a layup of sheet material

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for cutting and matching parts in a layup of material includes a cutting tool for cutting the parts and a camera for detecting and analyzing match points located on the individual parts that need to be matched to other parts. The apparatus also includes a computer having instructions for optimizing a process for matching various parts in the layup resulting in an increase of effective usable area of the cutter table and in increased efficiency in use of material in the layup. The computer includes instructions to direct the camera to process match points that are disposed within a tool offset, defined as a distance between the cutting tool and the camera, prior to advancing the layup to a take-off end of the cutter table.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Technical Field

[0002] The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for preparing parts cut from a layup of sheet material and, more particularly, to optimization of matching and cuffing operations therefor.

[0003] 2. Background Art

[0004] A process for fabricating cloth products from web material includes a number of steps and utilizes complicated machinery. First, the web material is spread on a spreading table by a spreading machine. The cloth is typically spread one layer at a time to form a stack or a layup having a certain width and height. The stack is then moved to a cutter table. A conventional cutter table extends in a lateral or Y-axis direction and a longitudinal or X-axis direction and has a permeable bristle surface. A cutter head is typically movably attached to a cutter beam with the cutter beam being movable along the cutter table in the X-axis direction and with the cutter head being movable with respect to the cutter beam in the Y-axis direction.

[0005] Once the layup is moved to the cutter table, parts are cut by the cutter head according to a marker or a nest that outlines the shapes of the parts. The marker can also include parts that have either the same or different shapes. However, the individual parts in each layer will have the same shape as the part in the layer above or below. The cut parts are then sewn together at a later time.

[0006] Preparation of a marker or nest typically requires that complicated and often conflicting requirements are met. For greater efficiency, it is important to minimize wasted material when nest or marker are prepared. However, to ensure high quality of the final product, certain parts have to be cut to match other parts in the layup. This becomes especially critical when material has a pattern. In that event, certain parts have to be aligned precisely with others.

[0007] The process of matching parts in a layup has been partially automated. A camera is mounted onto the cutter beam to view the material to be cut. As the camera views the material, it also analyzes the pattern and provides data for modifying the nest or marker to ensure that the necessary parts with pattern are properly aligned. In current cutter systems, the camera is mounted on the opposite side of the cutter head in order to minimize interference between the cutter head and the camera's field of view. As the camera and the cutter head are mounted on opposite sides of the cutter beam, an offset between the cutting tool and the camera is established.

[0008] The tool offset between the cutting tool and the camera presents a number of problems. One problem is that when the layup is moved onto the cutter table from the spreader table and the cutter beam is moved to the leading edge of the cutter table to start cutting operation, the camera cannot view and analyze the layup that is disposed within the tool offset between the cutter tool and the camera. Therefore, a smaller marker or nesting layout are generated such that the camera can visit all match points. Smaller marker usually results in less efficient use of material.

[0009] Another major shortcoming of the existing system is that the offset reduces usable area of the cutter table. Reduction in cutter table usable space is highly undesirable since the chance of matching all parts is reduced. If some parts that need to be matched are out of reach of the camera and the cutter head, then the cutter cannot proceed with the cutting operation. This requires an operator to manually attempt to match the necessary pieces. For the operator to successfully match various parts of the layup, the operator must be highly skilled and spend a great deal of time. The problem of fitting larger layups onto the cutter table is exacerbated by newer conveyorized tables. The conveyorized tables are much shorter than conventional cutter tables and include a much smaller conveyorized bristle surface. While the conveyorized tables save floor space in the shop and reduce size and cost of the expensive bristle surface, it is more difficult to match all the necessary pieces since much smaller layup can fit onto the table. Additionally, smaller usable area of the cutter table results in a greater number of layup to yield the same quantity of parts. This reduces efficiency of the operation.

[0010] Another drawback of the existing systems is that an origin for cutting instructions must be selected manually. Cutting data stored in a cut file requires that an origin or starting point on the layup be established. Currently, an operator must select the origin for the cutting operation to start. Typically, selection of the origin is a trial and error process that is time consuming and not always error free.

[0011] Therefore, it is desirable to reduce waste of sheet material and optimize the size of the layup that can fit and be cut on the cutter table.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0012] It is an object of the present invention to optimize cutting and matching operations.

[0013] It is another object of the present invention to minimize waste of sheet material.

[0014] It is a further object of the present invention to optimize the size of the layup that can fit and be cut on the cutter table.

[0015] It is another object of the present invention to optimize matching of various pieces in the layup.

[0016] According to the present invention, an apparatus for cutting and matching individual parts in a layup of material includes a cutter table extending in a longitudinal direction from a take-on end to a take-off end for supporting the layup, a conveyor belt mounted onto the cutter table for advancing the layup from the take-on end to the take-off end of the cutter table, a cutter beam movable in the longitudinal direction along the cutter table, a cutter head mounted onto the cutter beam, a camera disposed on the cutter beam at an offset from the cutter head to define a tool offset, and a computer including instructions for optimizing a process for matching various parts in the layup resulting in an increase of effective usable area of the cutter table and in increased efficiency in use of material in the layup.

[0017] The camera of the present invention is directed to process match points that are disposed within the tool offset prior to advancing the layup to the take-off end of the cutter table. The camera extracts the matching points for the parts to be matched from a data file according to the X-coordinate positions and processes those match points with X-axis values less than the tool offset prior to advancing the conveyor.

[0018] The apparatus and method of the present invention allow more efficient use of material and also increase usable area of the cutter table.

[0019] The foregoing and other advantages of the present invention become more apparent in light of the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments thereof, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020]FIG. 1 is a simplified, perspective view of an apparatus for cutting a single or multiple plies of limp material including a cutting apparatus, a spreading apparatus and a take-off table;

[0021]FIG. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 with the layup partially advanced onto a cutter table;

[0022]FIG. 3 is a front view of a monitor showing a marker layout for the apparatus of FIG. 2;

[0023]FIG. 4 is a high-level, logic flow diagram showing origin and matching optimization process for the apparatus of FIG. 1, according to present invention; and

[0024]FIG. 5 is a plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 with the layup advanced to the take-off end of the cutting table.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0025] Referring to FIG. 1, an apparatus 10 for cutting a single ply or multiple plies 12 of limp material 13, referred to as a layup 14, into individual parts 16 of predetermined size and shape includes a cutting apparatus 20, a spreading apparatus 22 and a take-off table 23. The cutting apparatus 20 includes a cutter table 24 for supporting the layup 14 and a cutter head 26 movable with respect to the cutter table 24. The cutter apparatus 10 also includes a camera 30 that is also movable with respect to the cutter table 24. The cutter table 24 includes a frame 32 and extends in a lateral, or Y-coordinate, direction from a console side 34 to a remote side 36 and in a longitudinal, or X-coordinate, direction from a take-on end 40 to a take-off end 42. The cutter table includes a conveyor 44 with a permeable bristle surface 46 that advances the layup 14 in the X-coordinate direction. An origin 50 of the cutter table 24 is defined at the take-off end 42 and console side 34 of the cutter table 24.

[0026] A cutter beam 52 supports the cutter head 26 and is movable in the X-coordinate direction along a pair of guide rails 54 secured to the cutter frame 32. The cutter beam also supports the camera 30 mounted on the other side of the beam 52 to avoid interference with the cutter head 26. The cutter head 26 and the camera 30 move in the lateral or Y-coordinate direction across the cutter beam 52. A cutter tool 56 and an origin locator 58 are supported within the cutter head 26. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the origin locator 58 is a laser beam for identifying origin of the layup 14 for subsequent matching and cutting operations. The X-axis distance between the cutter tool 56 and the camera 30 is defined as the tool offset 60, as best seen in FIG. 2.

[0027] The cutting apparatus 20 also includes an operator control panel 62 formed substantially integrally with the beam 52 and including a plurality of function buttons. One of the plurality of function buttons is an origin button 64, as best seen in FIG. 1. The cutting apparatus 20 also includes a computer 66 with a monitor 68 and a keyboard 70 for controlling various cutting operations. The computer 66 includes data 72 such as cut data and matching data. The monitor 68 can display various information, including a marker or a nest layout 74, as shown in FIG. 3. The marker layout 74 includes an arrangement of a plurality of parts 76-84 with material disposed therebetween referred to as waste 86. The marker layout 74 also includes information regarding matching of parts to be sewn together at a later time. Some parts are referred to “major” because of their prominence in the final product and the need to match those parts to a relatively large number of other parts. For example, part 76 must be matched to parts 79, 83 and 84, as indicated by dashed lines in FIG. 3. A plurality of match points 88 on each part to be matched must be identified and matched to match points 88 on the other matching parts. The cutting and matching data file has positional instructions for cutting and matching parts based on an origin or a starting point 90 defined on the marker layout 74. Typically, the origin point 90 is defined at the leading edge 92 of the marker layout. The leading edge of the marker layout substantially coincides with a leading edge 94 of the layup 14. However, since the plies 12 of the layup 14 are not always perfectly lined up at the leading edge 94, the origin point of the layup 14 is dictated by the shortest ply.

[0028] The spreading apparatus 22 is disposed substantially adjacent to the take-on end 40 of the cutter table 24 of the cutter apparatus 20 and includes a spreader table 96 for supporting at least one layer of material 13 and a spreader 98 for facilitating spreading of the material 13, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. A ramp 100 is disposed between the spreader table 96 and the cutter table 24 for transitioning the layup 14 from the spreader table onto the cutter table.

[0029] The take-off table 23 is disposed at the take-off end 42 of the cutter table 24 for accommodating cut parts 16 subsequent to the cutting operation.

[0030] Referring to FIG. 4, the computer 68 includes instructions or program 102 for automatically optimizing matching of the parts and selecting an origin for the cut data file on the layup. In operation, the spreader 98 spreads at least one ply 12 of the material 13 onto the spreader table 96, as best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2. Typically, a plurality of plies 12 are spread to form the stack or layup 14. The leading edge 94 of the stack is then moved onto the cutter table 24 over the ramp 100, such that the leading edge 94 of the layup is disposed on the conveyor surface 44 and is within the field of view of the camera 30. The operator then selects origin and matching optimization option through the computer 66 (or the operator panel 62), as indicated by P1 in FIG. 4. The operator subsequently establishes an initial origin point 104 on the layup, as indicated by P2, and shown in FIG. 2. Since not all the plies 12 are perfectly aligned at the leading edge 94 of the layup 14, the shortest ply dictates the origin point 104 of the layup. The operator establishes the origin 104 by visually identifying the shortest ply and pointing the origin locator 58 onto the origin 104 and activating the origin button 64 disposed on the operator control panel 62, as shown in FIG. 1. Once the operator inputs the initial origin coordinates into the computer 66, the automated cutting cycle begins, as indicated by P3.

[0031] All the match points 88 from the cutting and matching data file are extracted, as indicated by P4 and shown in FIG. 3. These match points 88 are then sorted according to their X-coordinate position, as indicated by P5. The match points with the X-coordinate values less than tool offset 60 are processed first, as indicated by P6. The camera 30 visits those match points 88 and collects data therefrom. Then, it is determined which of the match points that fall within the tool offset 60 are currently on the cutter table, as indicated by P7. Subsequently, it is determined how much does the conveyor 44 need to be advanced for all the match points disposed within the tool offset 60 to be located on the cutter table 24, as indicated by P8. These additional match points are then processed, as indicated by P9. To process these additional match points, the layup 14 is advanced and the camera 30 visits these additional match points. The last three steps P7, P8 and P9 are performed only if the cutter beam 52 and the camera 30 are disposed in close proximity to the take-on end 40 of the cutter table 24 and only a small portion of the layup 14 is initially positioned on the cutter table 24. This can be done when the initial origin 104 is established by using means other than the origin locator 58 of the cutter head 26. In the preferred embodiment described above, with the origin locator 58 establishing the initial origin 104, the leading edge 94 of the layup 14 is initially advanced at least the amount of the tool offset 60 for the origin locator 58 to access the leading edge 94 of the layup 14. Therefore, steps P7-P9 do not need to be performed in the currently preferred embodiment of the present invention. The steps P7-P9 are performed in an alternate embodiment when other means for establishing the initial origin 104 are used. Such other means can be a digitized pointer, not integral to the cutter head.

[0032] Once all the match points that are disposed within the tool offset 60 area are processed, the layup 14 is advanced to the take-off end 42 of the cutter table 24 with the camera 30 visiting all the remaining matching points, as indicated by P10 and as shown in FIG. 5. As the layup advancement is completed, a new and final origin 106 position is automatically established, as indicated by P11. The new origin compensates for errors in conveyor belt motion. An encoder (not shown) measures discrepancies between conveyor motion and beam motion. Subsequently, the actual cuffing of the parts is started with the cut data file using the new automatically set origin as an origin for the cut instructions.

[0033] The apparatus and method of the present invention allow more efficient use of material as a result of increased flexibility in marker layout 74. Additionally, the present invention results in greater usable area of the cutter table 24. One benefit of greater usable area of the cutter table is that larger number of parts 16 can fit thereon and there is a greater chance of matching all parts that need to be matched. Another benefit is that the overall efficiency is increased since fewer layups result in the same number of parts and the layup does not need to be advanced as frequently. For example, in one configuration, the tool offset 60 was seventeen inches (17″). Implementation of the present invention resulted in substantial recovery of the tool offset area.

[0034] Another major advantage of the present invention is that the origin 106 is established automatically. Prior art required a great deal of trial and error from the operator with the layup being repeatedly advanced then backed up, frequently disturbing the plies of the material. The present invention eliminates the need for the time consuming and not entirely precise manipulations of the layup.

[0035] While the present invention has been illustrated and described with respect to a particular embodiment thereof, it should be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art, that various modifications to this invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, the camera can be attached to the cutter head and move therewith, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, or move separately, as shown in FIG. 1. 

We claim:
 1. An apparatus for cutting and matching individual parts in a layup of material, said apparatus comprising: a cutter table extending in a longitudinal direction and in a lateral direction for supporting said layup, said cutter table having a take-on end and a take-off end; a conveyor belt mounted onto said cutter table for advancing said layup from said take-on end to said take-off end of said cutter table; a cutter beam movable in said longitudinal direction along said cutter table; a cutter head mounted onto said cutter beam and movable with respect to said cutter beam in said lateral direction for cuffing said individual parts from said layup; a camera disposed on said cutter beam at an offset from said cutter head to define a tool offset between said camera and said cutter head; and a computer for controlling said cutter head and said camera, said computer including instructions for optimizing a process for matching various parts in said layup resulting in an increase of effective usable area of said cutter table and in increased efficiency in use of material in said layup.
 2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said computer comprises further instructions to direct said camera to process match points that are disposed within said tool offset prior to advancing said layup to said take-off end of said cutter table.
 3. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said computer comprises further instructions for extracting all match points from a cut data file, sorting said extracted match points according to their X-coordinate positions, and processing match points with X-axis values less than said tool offset prior to advancing said conveyor.
 4. A method for cutting and matching individual parts in a layup of material, said method comprising the steps of: optimizing a process for matching various parts in said layup resulting in an increase of effective usable area of a cutter table and a reduction of wasted material in said layup.
 5. The method according to claim 4 further comprising the steps of: processing match points that are disposed within said tool offset prior to advancing said layup to a take-off end of said cutter table.
 6. The method according to claim 4 further comprising the steps of: extracting all match points from a data file; sorting extracted match points according to their X-axis position; and processing match points with X-axis values less than said tool offset before advancing a conveyor belt on said cutter table.
 7. The method according to claim 6 further comprising a preceding step of: establishing an initial origin position.
 8. The method according to claim 6 further comprising the steps of: determining which match points are within a current usable table area; determining advance distance of said conveyor to capture additional match points disposed within said offset; and processing said additional match points within said offset.
 9. The method according to claim 8 comprising the subsequent step of: completing an advance cycle while processing remaining match points on said layup.
 10. The method according to claim 9 comprising the subsequent step of: establishing a new origin position.
 11. The method according to claim 10 comprising the step of: starting the cutting operation. 